Frequency of Respiratory Distress Syndrome in Preterm Infants Delivered at Pak Emirates Military Hospital, Rawalpindi

• Published in: Pakistan Armed Forces medical journal 2022-08, Vol.72 (4), p.1314-17
• Main Authors: Bashir, Junaid, Ahmed, Zeeshan, Ghafoor, Muzammal, Hussain, Murtaza, Zaman, Saeed, Babar, Muhammad Waleed
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Asphyxia neonatorum; Birth rate; Cyanosis; Diagnosis; Females; Gestational age; Hypothermia; Infant mortality; Infants (Premature); Males; Newborn babies; Patients; Premature babies; Premature birth; Respiratory distress syndrome; Sepsis; Surfactants; Vagina
• ISSN: 0030-9648; 2411-8842
• DOI: 10.51253/pafmj.v72i4.7217

Objective: To determine the frequency of Respiratory Distress Syndrome among preterm neonates born at the Pak Emirates Military Hospital. Study Design: Cross-Sectional Study. Place and Duration of Study: Pak Emirates Military Hospital, Rawalpindi Pakistan, from Aug 2020 to Mar 2021. Methodology: One hundred and sixty-nine neonates with a gestational age of ≤34 weeks of either gender were included in this study. RDS was confirmed by reviewing neonatal medical charts. The frequency of RDS was seen in different groups according to gestational age, gender, weight, hypothermia, sepsis and jaundice. Results: There were 169 patients; among them were 94 (55.6%) males and 75 (44.4%) females. 105 (62.1%) were born by caesarean section, and 64 (37.9%) were normal vaginal delivery. There were 26 (15.4%) neonates, with RDS, and 143 (84.6%) did not have RDS. Among our 169 sample, 26 (15.4%) were in 32 week gestational groups. There were 34 (20.1%) who were 1500 g. Hypothermia was found in 43 (25.4%) of neonates; 126 (74.6%) did not have hypothermia. 63 (37.3%) neonates had sepsis, and 39 (23.1%) had jaundice. Conclusion: RDS is a serious problem in our country. Health care providers must plan cost-effective and efficient strategies to detect and treat RDS in the developing world.